My big mama’s Southern Cream Cheese Pound Cake recipe is the best one you will ever taste y’all. Passed down from generation to generation, this moist, tender, buttery cake melts in your mouth and is straight up heaven in every single bite. I’m keeping her tradition of feeding folks her famous desserts alive, and I can’t wait for you to get into this recipe straight from her. This cream cheese pound cake is legit pure nostalgia and deliciousness, all wrapped up in one epic treat.
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Having my followers name me “The Queen of Pound Cakes” is one of my greatest honors. I take that honor seriously boos. That’s why I share the best in my arsenal with you, especially this cream cheese pound cake straight from my big mama Maggie Small.
The care and meticulous nature of the baking process my Big Mama taught me was more than just learning to bake; I was learning about my family’s deep-rooted traditions and the fabric of our heritage. It’s just how we get down y’all. She passed this recipe to me, and now I’m passing it right to you.
The Lowdown of This Cream Cheese Pound Cake
Cuisine Inspiration: Southern boos!
Primary Cooking Method: Baking
Dietary Info: Contains gluten, dairy, and eggs
Key Flavor: Rich, buttery, tender, melt in your mouth
Skill Level: Intermediate (put those baking skillz to use)
Irresistible Flavor
The flavor of this cream cheese cake is straight up undeniable. It is buttery while simultaneously being dense and light in a way that doesn’t seem possible y’all. The cream cheese adds moisture and richness in the most unique way.
Generations Old
The elders definitely knew how to bake pound cakes like nobody else. This old school recipe is tried and true with no edits because it simply “works”.
Versatile and No-Fuss
This cream cheese pound cake recipe can be made with simple straight-forward ingredients plus it can be served for breakfast, a snack and of course dessert.
Ingredients you’ll need to make this cream cheese pound cake recipe
- Butter: This is legit one of the most important ingredients in this cream cheese cake. Go with high fat and high quality so you get that delish creamy richness and flavor in each and every bite.
- Cream Cheese: Tangy, sweet, and smooth, cream cheese is what makes this cake so different and the texture so unreal!
- Oil: This gives our pound cake with cream cheese a bit more moisture so it stays nice and tender.
- Granulated Sugar: The sugar is gonna melt into that butter and add the perfect amount of sweetness and lift to our cake in the creaming period.
- Eggs: These are the stabilizers in our cake. The yolks add more richness and moistness too.
- Cake Flour: This is gonna give us a softer more tender crumb versus using a heartier flour like all-purpose.
- Vanilla: Nothing highlights a cream cheese cake recipe like the aromatic notes of pure vanilla y’all.
How to make cream cheese pound cake
What to serve with pound cake with cream cheese
- Classic OG Style: Serve it up classic with just that sprinkle of powdered sugar and a few fresh berries.
- Dollop it Up: Add a dollop of whipped cream for a light textural change.
- Warm with Ice Cream: A scoop of vanilla ice cream, strawberry ice cream or mocha ice cream is a great compliment.
- Sauce it Up!: Add a nice spoonful of strawberry sauce or lemon curd.
- Drizzle it On: A light drizzle of chocolate ganache or caramel sauce adds some decadence.
- Classic Southern Dinner: This cream cheese pound cake is great served up for dessert with sweet potato pie along with a simple meal of fried chicken, fried green tomatoes, Southern green beans, collard greens and fried cornbread.
Recipe Substitutions
- Butter: This recipe uses unsalted butter but if you don’t have any around, salted is fine boos. Just leave out the salt in the recipe.
- Cake Flour: This truly lightens this cake up but if you don’t have any, you can make your own cake flour with all-purpose flour and cornstarch y’all.
- Granulated Sugar: You can swap in a light brown sugar here. It will give it a deeper more intense caramel like sweetness.
- Vanilla Extract: You can also replace the extract with vanilla bean paste for more vanilla intensity.
Recipe Variations and Additions
- Lemon It Up: Turn this into a lemon pound cake by adding the zest of one juicy lemon to the batter and drizzling a lemon glaze over the top of the baked cake. Citrus goals boo!
- Berry Textures: Fold some fresh or frozen berries like blueberries or raspberries into the batter before baking. That’s so good y’all!
- Chocolate Vibes: Add some cocoa powder or melted chocolate to the batter for a chocolate twist.
- Spice it Up Boos: Toss some warm spices into the batter like some ground cinnamon or nutmeg. It makes that batter super cozy.
- Fall Twist: For all you pumpkin spice boos, mix in some pureed pumpkin or sweet potato and a pinch of pumpkin pie spice to give this cream cheese pound cake recipe the ultimate fall vibes.
Expert Tips and Tricks for making the best cream cheese cake
- Don’t skimp on the creaming! This is what makes for the most tender and moist cake ever! Don’t speed it up. Be patient and let those sugar crystals totally melt into that butter making it light and fluffy.
- Room Temp Ingredients: In order to make that batter as smooth and perfectly combined as possible, make sure you pull out the room temp butter and eggs y’all.
- Make over mix boos!: Once you add your flour to this cake, slow down that mixer and stop as soon as the flour as incorporated. If you keep on going, the gluten will overactive and create a dense cake.
- Grease it Up!: Even non-stick baking pans need a little extra love y’all. This homemade cake release is a Godsend but you can totally use a spray or go old school with shortening then flour in the pan like my big mama did.
How to store cream cheese pound cake
Once cooled, either tightly wrap in plastic wrap so no air gets in or add to a cake container. Store at room temp for up to 5 days.
How long will it last in the fridge?
I don’t recommend placing this cream cheese cake in the fridge since it will dry it out. Store at room temp so that texture stays on point.
Can I freeze ?
Wrap the cake in plastic wrap tightly then put it in a heavy-duty freezer bag. A frozen pound cake will keep for 4-6 months. When ready to serve it back up, thaw overnight in the fridge.
Frequently asked questions
Naw boos, it doesn’t. Don’t be put off by the idea of cream cheese in your cake. It gives such a smooth texture and slight tang that really makes this cake irresistible y’all.
Honestly boos, I recommend cake flour for a finer more tender crumb. It can be used but just know that the texture won’t be exactly the same.
Most old school pound cakes don’t have leavenings so you gotta rely on your creaming period. That means you cannot skimp on your butter and sugar mixing time because this is a period that incorporates more air into your cake boos.
Y’all this cream cheese pound cake is so special for me. It’s what legit started Grandbaby Cakes. My big mama’s cake became a sensation whenever I made it for folks. Now I’m passing on my secrets to you. I hope you love it.
More Southern cake recipes
- Hummingbird Cake
- Lemon Pound Cake
- Southern Caramel Cake Recipe
- 7 UP Pound Cake
- Kentucky Butter Cake
- Sock it to me Cake
- Butter Pound Cake
- Sour Cream Pound Cake
- 35 Pound Cake Recipes
- Million Dollar Pound Cake
Cream Cheese Pound Cake
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups unsalted butter room temperature
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil or shortening
- 8 ounces cream cheese room temp, one brick
- 2 3/4 cups granulated sugar
- 6 large eggs room temperature
- 3 cups sifted cake flour
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- powdered sugar for garnish
Instructions
- Start by preheating your oven to 325°F then liberally spray a 12-cup bundt pan with non-stick baking spray or grease with butter or shortening and then flour.
- In your mixer bowl, add butter, oil or shortening, and cream cheese and beat for 2 minutes on high speed. Slowly add in sugar beat on high speed for an additional seven minutes until very pale yellow and fluffy. There is no leavening in this cake because we add ample air to this cake by having a very long creaming period.
- Next, add eggs, one at a time, combining well after each addition and scraping down the sides as needed.
- Turn your mixer down to its lowest speed, and slowly add flour into batter in two increments then add salt. Be careful not to over beat.
- Lastly, add in vanilla extract, scrape down sides and mix until just combined and turn off mixer.
- Pour cake batter into prepared bundt pan, and bake for 1 hour and 15 -20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then invert cake on serving plate for at least an hour or until the cake is cool to the touch.
- Dust with powdered sugar and serve.
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I have been making pound cakes for and this recipe was absolutely the best one I have ever made! I have thrown out all the other recipes claiming to be the best!
LOL Thank you so much Pam!! That means a lot to me and I am so glad you liked the pound cake.
What will be the temperature and baking time if I bake it on a medium size loaf pan?
The temperature will be the same, but the baking time will not. I would start checking it around the 45/50 minute mark. You will probably need two loaf pans for this recipe. I hope you enjoy!
I’ve been following your page and recipes for years. Only thing I’ve made so far is the cornbread dressing. My husband and I was craving something sweet and I looked up this recipe and when I say it is one of the best pound cake recipes. My husband loves to bake so he made it. I’m not a pound cake eater but I am now. I sure we will keep this recipe to use for years to come. Thank you so much.
You’re so welcome!! So glad you liked it!
This is my all time favorite cake! Very easy to make and so delicious.
Light & fluffy texture
Nice crunch to the crust.
When I bit into the crust, I felt like I was eating cotton Candy that melted in my mouth – yum
The cake itself was so nice and soft
Never beat a cake this long (7 mins) but it definitely paid off and made perfect sense since no baking powder or baking soda were used
Curious to add some berries next time
So glad you enjoyed it, Daniela!
Absolutely delicious! Best pound cake I have had so far – thank you!
I made this yesterday for my family get together and it turned out amazing! I did have to bake it a bit longer after testing for doneness with a wooden skewer. I’m not sure what size my bundt pan is but the cake rose a bit and filled it completely. This makes a beautiful golden brown crust and super moist interior! This will become my “go-to” pound cake recipe! Simply perfect!
How would I adjust the recipe to bake in a 10″ tube pan? I LOVE your recipes, especially the cakes! Thanks for the kitchen help…
Perfect recipe, easy to make and simple ingredients. I made it in 2 loaf pans and it was done about 10 minutes earlier. Thank you so much. I will use this recipe often and think of you.
The taste was great! Inside the cake fell away from the trust and the texture was more gooey than it should have been. I am sure the mistake was mine. Would you make any changes to the recipe for high altitude baking? I am at 5100 ft above sea level. If you over mix the flour, could it cause my problem?
Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated!
Thank you.